How Hockey Led Me to Cross-Country Skiing
If you had told me a few years ago that I’d be training for the Olympics in cross-country skiing, I probably would’ve laughed. At the time, my heart was hockey. In fact, I was on track to join the Philippines National Ice Hockey Team. That dream felt so close I could almost hear the roar of the crowd.
But then came the news: to officially be a part of the team, I’d have to live in the Philippines for at least a year and a half. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Philippines and my heritage, but packing up my whole life for that long wasn’t realistic. It stung. Hockey had been such a huge part of me, and just like that, the door to that dream closed.
Here’s the thing about me though: I don’t sit still for long. I love connecting with people, networking, and seeing where opportunities might open up. So while I was navigating this hockey detour, I thought, why not see if there’s another path to the Olympics?
That’s when my so called “charm” (as my friends like to call it) came in handy. Through some networking, I managed to get a meeting with Jim Apelar, the president of the Philippines Ski and Snowboard Federation. Yes, you read that right, skiing and snowboarding. And yes, in the Philippines!
Jim was kind, welcoming, and honestly pretty gracious to even take the time to meet with me. He’d heard about my hockey background, and we quickly hit it off. During our conversation, I laid it all out, I told him about my Olympic dream, how I’d been considering biathlon, but also how I worried the competition in that field might be too steep.
That’s when Jim leaned in with an idea that would change my life:
“What about cross-country skiing?”
At first, I wasn’t sure what to think. Cross-country skiing? Me? But the more we talked, the more it made sense. It’s a sport that demands endurance, grit, and mental toughness, all things I’d built over years of hockey. It was different, yes, but it was also a chance to create history.
Jim knew with my roller hockey background that I would be perfect for the Inaugural Season of the Roller Ski Asian Cup 2025. He explained to me that the Roller Ski competition points would qualify for Cross Country Snow Ski points for the World Cup and Winter Olympics Games. He saw potential, he believed in me. And in that moment, the seed was planted.
From hockey rinks to snowy trails, my path to the Winter Olympics shifted in a way I never could’ve imagined. Now, the goal is bigger than just me: I’m training to become the first Filipino to qualify for the Olympics in cross-country skiing.
But here’s the thing: I had never put on a pair of cross-country skis in my life.
How do you go from hockey skates to skis? From chasing a puck to chasing Olympic history? Well… that’s where the real story begins.
To be continued.
